Sidney Rigdon, Appeal to the American People, 1840,
Second Edition

14 June 1813–9 Apr. 1895. Auctioneer, merchant, banker. Born at Clinton, Upper Canada. Son of Henry Ruth and Marie Overholt. Purchased interest in town of De Witt (first called Eldersport), Carroll Co., Missouri, 1837. Sold lots to Latter-day Saints. Moved...

’s visit and the letter of which he was the bearer, was to get
some of the Saints to go to
De
Witt

Located on bluffs north of Missouri River, about six miles above mouth of Grand River. Permanently settled, by 1826. Laid out, 1836. First called Elderport; name changed to De Witt, 1837, when town acquired by speculators David Thomas and Henry Root, who ...

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

14 June 1813–9 Apr. 1895. Auctioneer, merchant, banker. Born at Clinton, Upper Canada. Son of Henry Ruth and Marie Overholt. Purchased interest in town of De Witt (first called Eldersport), Carroll Co., Missouri, 1837. Sold lots to Latter-day Saints. Moved...

there was nothing done in the matter. At this time, we were on
our way, with our families, to
Far
West

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

, going there for the purpose of making a home. On the evening
of the 2d day of April, stopped for the
night, at the house of a man by the name of Morrison,
on Turkey Creek. There was the said
Mr.
Root

14 June 1813–9 Apr. 1895. Auctioneer, merchant, banker. Born at Clinton, Upper Canada. Son of Henry Ruth and Marie Overholt. Purchased interest in town of De Witt (first called Eldersport), Carroll Co., Missouri, 1837. Sold lots to Latter-day Saints. Moved...

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

, and what he had been after; and also solicited our assistance
in getting some of our people to take part in building up the town of
De
Witt

Located on bluffs north of Missouri River, about six miles above mouth of Grand River. Permanently settled, by 1826. Laid out, 1836. First called Elderport; name changed to De Witt, 1837, when town acquired by speculators David Thomas and Henry Root, who ...

came on the same errand, and it was not till after repeated
solicitations, and assurances of all the assistance that we needed, in
case of any difficulty, that there was any disposition manifested on the
part of the people of
Far
West

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

, to comply with their request. However, after repeated
solicitations, and strong assurances given of the advantages of the place,
and the facilities which it would afford to the settlements making in the Upper
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...

One of longest rivers in North America, in excess of 3,000 miles. From headwaters in Montana to confluence with Mississippi River near St. Louis, Missouri River drains 580,000 square miles (about one-sixth of continental U.S.). Explored by Lewis and Clark...

, went to examine the place. It was in
June, 1838, that they went to make the
purchase. After examining the place, they purchased one-half of the town
plat, and agreed with
Mr.
Root

14 June 1813–9 Apr. 1895. Auctioneer, merchant, banker. Born at Clinton, Upper Canada. Son of Henry Ruth and Marie Overholt. Purchased interest in town of De Witt (first called Eldersport), Carroll Co., Missouri, 1837. Sold lots to Latter-day Saints. Moved...

, from whom they purchased, to move there with their families as
soon as they conveniently could, in order to commence building up the
place. Accordingly, in July
following, they moved to
De
Witt

Located on bluffs north of Missouri River, about six miles above mouth of Grand River. Permanently settled, by 1826. Laid out, 1836. First called Elderport; name changed to De Witt, 1837, when town acquired by speculators David Thomas and Henry Root, who ...

. Soon after their arrival a settlement began to be made. The
Saints at the time were immigrating into the country in considerable
numbers, and a portion of them stopped at
DeWitt

Located on bluffs north of Missouri River, about six miles above mouth of Grand River. Permanently settled, by 1826. Laid out, 1836. First called Elderport; name changed to De Witt, 1837, when town acquired by speculators David Thomas and Henry Root, who ...

.
Some purchased farms in the vicinity, others bought property in the town,
and by the middle
of October
there were as many as seventy families in the town and
the immediate neighborhood. They had bought and paid for considerable
property, and were making arrangements to erect buildings and other
conveniences for their comfort.

Some short
time after the settlement first began, there was a mob meeting called at
Carrollton, the county seat of
Carroll
county,
and resolutions passed of a very treasonable character. The proceedings
of this meeting were published in the public papers. They there
resolved to drive the Saints out of the
county,
regardless of consequences. A committee was appointed to go and warn them
of their danger, and to demand of them that they leave the
county
forthwith. All these transactions were public, and perfectly known to the
authorities of the country, but not the most distant attempt was made to
bring any of them to justice. In consequence of the apathy of the
government the mob went on to holding meeting after meeting, passing
resolution after resolution, and threatening the Saints with death unless
they would leave their homes and property and go out of the
county.
These proceedings were all public and notorious. This mob was led by two
Presbyterian preachers, one by the name of Woods

Ca. 1801–26 Apr. 1854. Preacher, trader. Born in Kentucky. Married Elizabeth Warren, 4 May 1824, in Howard Co., Missouri. Became Cumberland Presbyterian priest. Moved to Dorenda Creek, Carroll Co., Missouri, by June 1840. Conveyed merchandise from St. Louis...

14 June 1813–9 Apr. 1895. Auctioneer, merchant, banker. Born at Clinton, Upper Canada. Son of Henry Ruth and Marie Overholt. Purchased interest in town of De Witt (first called Eldersport), Carroll Co., Missouri, 1837. Sold lots to Latter-day Saints. Moved...

’s visit and the letter of which he was the bearer, was to get
some of the Saints to go to
De
Witt

Located on bluffs north of Missouri River, about six miles above mouth of Grand River. Permanently settled, by 1826. Laid out, 1836. First called Elderport; name changed to De Witt, 1837, when town acquired by speculators David Thomas and Henry Root, who ...

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

14 June 1813–9 Apr. 1895. Auctioneer, merchant, banker. Born at Clinton, Upper Canada. Son of Henry Ruth and Marie Overholt. Purchased interest in town of De Witt (first called Eldersport), Carroll Co., Missouri, 1837. Sold lots to Latter-day Saints. Moved...

there was nothing done in the matter. At this time, we were on
our way, with our families, to
Far
West

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

, going there for the purpose of making a home. On the evening
of the 2d day of April, stopped for the
night, at the house of a man by the name of Morrison,
on Turkey Creek. There was the said
Mr.
Root

14 June 1813–9 Apr. 1895. Auctioneer, merchant, banker. Born at Clinton, Upper Canada. Son of Henry Ruth and Marie Overholt. Purchased interest in town of De Witt (first called Eldersport), Carroll Co., Missouri, 1837. Sold lots to Latter-day Saints. Moved...

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

, and what he had been after; and also solicited our assistance
in getting some of our people to take part in building up the town of
De
Witt

Located on bluffs north of Missouri River, about six miles above mouth of Grand River. Permanently settled, by 1826. Laid out, 1836. First called Elderport; name changed to De Witt, 1837, when town acquired by speculators David Thomas and Henry Root, who ...

came on the same errand, and it was not till after repeated
solicitations, and assurances of all the assistance that we needed, in
case of any difficulty, that there was any disposition manifested on the
part of the people of
Far
West

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

, to comply with their request. However, after repeated
solicitations, and strong assurances given of the advantages of the place,
and the facilities which it would afford to the settlements making in the Upper
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...

One of longest rivers in North America, in excess of 3,000 miles. From headwaters in Montana to confluence with Mississippi River near St. Louis, Missouri River drains 580,000 square miles (about one-sixth of continental U.S.). Explored by Lewis and Clark...

, went to examine the place. It was in
June, 1838, that they went to make the
purchase. After examining the place, they purchased one-half of the town
plat, and agreed with
Mr.
Root

14 June 1813–9 Apr. 1895. Auctioneer, merchant, banker. Born at Clinton, Upper Canada. Son of Henry Ruth and Marie Overholt. Purchased interest in town of De Witt (first called Eldersport), Carroll Co., Missouri, 1837. Sold lots to Latter-day Saints. Moved...

, from whom they purchased, to move there with their families as
soon as they conveniently could, in order to commence building up the
place. Accordingly, in July
following, they moved to
De
Witt

Located on bluffs north of Missouri River, about six miles above mouth of Grand River. Permanently settled, by 1826. Laid out, 1836. First called Elderport; name changed to De Witt, 1837, when town acquired by speculators David Thomas and Henry Root, who ...

. Soon after their arrival a settlement began to be made. The
Saints at the time were immigrating into the country in considerable
numbers, and a portion of them stopped at
DeWitt

Located on bluffs north of Missouri River, about six miles above mouth of Grand River. Permanently settled, by 1826. Laid out, 1836. First called Elderport; name changed to De Witt, 1837, when town acquired by speculators David Thomas and Henry Root, who ...

.
Some purchased farms in the vicinity, others bought property in the town,
and by the middle
of October
there were as many as seventy families in the town and
the immediate neighborhood. They had bought and paid for considerable
property, and were making arrangements to erect buildings and other
conveniences for their comfort.

Some short
time after the settlement first began, there was a mob meeting called at
Carrollton, the county seat of
Carroll
county,
and resolutions passed of a very treasonable character. The proceedings
of this meeting were published in the public papers. They there
resolved to drive the Saints out of the
county,
regardless of consequences. A committee was appointed to go and warn them
of their danger, and to demand of them that they leave the
county
forthwith. All these transactions were public, and perfectly known to the
authorities of the country, but not the most distant attempt was made to
bring any of them to justice. In consequence of the apathy of the
government the mob went on to holding meeting after meeting, passing
resolution after resolution, and threatening the Saints with death unless
they would leave their homes and property and go out of the
county.
These proceedings were all public and notorious. This mob was led by two
Presbyterian preachers, one by the name of Woods

Ca. 1801–26 Apr. 1854. Preacher, trader. Born in Kentucky. Married Elizabeth Warren, 4 May 1824, in Howard Co., Missouri. Became Cumberland Presbyterian priest. Moved to Dorenda Creek, Carroll Co., Missouri, by June 1840. Conveyed merchandise from St. Louis...

Located in western Missouri, thirteen miles north of Independence. Settled 1820. Clay Co. seat, 1822. Incorporated as town, May 1829. Following expulsion from Jackson Co., 1833, many Latter-day Saints found refuge in Clay Co., with church leaders and other...

,
Missouri, in March 1839,
JS addressed a letter to the church “at
Quincy

Located on high limestone bluffs east of Mississippi River, about forty-five miles south of Nauvoo. Settled 1821. Adams Co. seat, 1825. Incorporated as town, 1834. Received city charter, 1840. Population in 1835 about 800; in 1840 about 2,300; and in 1845...

27 Aug. 1793–27 May 1840. Hatter. Born at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Partridge and Jemima Bidwell. Moved to Painesville, Geauga Co., Ohio. Married Lydia Clisbee, 22 Aug. 1819, at Painesville. Initially a Universal Restorationist...

in particular,” instructing the Saints to gather up “a
knowledge of all the facts and sufferings and abuses put upon them by the
people of this
state

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

A
manuscript draft of this pamphlet, simply titled “To the Publick” was
presented to a conference of church members at
Quincy

Located on high limestone bluffs east of Mississippi River, about forty-five miles south of Nauvoo. Settled 1821. Adams Co. seat, 1825. Incorporated as town, 1834. Received city charter, 1840. Population in 1835 about 800; in 1840 about 2,300; and in 1845...

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

collaborated on the
publication of the text, which was available in print by May 1840. Though no author is named on the title
page, Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

was acknowledged as author in an
1840 Times and Seasons newspaper
article, and when the pamphlet was advertised in that church periodical in
1841 (“A History, of the Persecution,”
Times and Seasons, May 1840, 1:99; Advertisement, Times
and Seasons, 1 Jan. 1841, 1:272).
JS and
Elias
Higbee

held some expectation that funds from the sale of An
Appeal would eventually help defray costs of their
late-1839 trip to
Washington DC

Created as district for seat of U.S. federal government by act of Congress, 1790, and named Washington DC, 1791. Named in honor of George Washington. Headquarters of executive, legislative, and judicial branches of U.S. government relocated to Washington ...

had been authorized to produce a second, revised edition to be
published by Shepard & Stearns in
Cincinnati

Area settled largely by emigrants from New England and New Jersey, by 1788. Village founded and surveyed adjacent to site of Fort Washington, 1789. First seat of legislature of Northwest Territory, 1790. Incorporated as city, 1819. Developed rapidly as shipping...

. Page related some of
the circumstances surrounding its publication and circulation in a letter sent
to JS, “. . . at
Dayton [Ohio] we parted for a few
days . . . Elder Hyde went to Cincinnati where in my absince he published a
second Edition of the ‘Apeal to the American people’ (2000 copies)[.] when I
arrived the work was about completed[.] after disposing of as many of them as
posible and suplying the market about cincinnati and the adjacient country he
left me with some fourteen or fifteen hundred on hand, to dispose of” (John E. Page,
Philadelphia, PA, to JS et al., Nauvoo, IL, 1 Sept. 1841, JS Collection,
CHL). Funds from this printing were to be for the express purpose of
subsidizing Hyde and Page’s imminent mission to
Jerusalem

Capital city of ancient Judea. Holy city of Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Population in 1835 about 11,000; in 1840 about 13,000; and in 1850 about 15,000. Described in 1836 as “greatly reduced from its ancient size and importance.” Occupied and governed ...

noted the purpose of the publication,
explained the severe hardships imposed by the
Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...

persecutions upon Page’s own family, provided a detailed account of a vision
experienced by Hyde, and expressed enthusiasm about the prospects of the
mission. The preface also contained a copy of an official letter of appointment
and commendation for Hyde and Page from an April
1840 church conference at
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

, Illinois, signed by
JS, and a letter of reference from
Thomas
Carlin

18 July 1789–14 Feb. 1852. Ferry owner, farmer, sheriff, politician. Born in Fayette Co., Kentucky. Son of Thomas Carlin and Elizabeth Evans. Baptist. Moved to Missouri, by 1803. Moved to Illinois, by 1812. Served in War of 1812. Married Rebecca Hewitt, 13...

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

’s pamphlet can be corroborated from other
sources, his chronology of events is often inaccurate. However, Rigdon’s
account does contain the texts of several significant documents. Among these
are JS’s September
1838 affidavit concerning the 7 August
1838 visit to
Adam
Black

11 Sept. 1801–14 July 1890. Farmer, sheriff, justice of the peace, judge. Born at Henderson Co., Kentucky. Son of William Black and Jane Wilson. Moved near Booneville, Copper Co., Missouri Territory, and then to Ray Co., Missouri Territory, 1819. Elected ...

7 Apr. 1797–16 July 1881. Farmer, painter, glazier. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Moved to Auburn, Cayuga Co., New York, before 1830. Joined Methodist church, before Apr. 1832. Baptized into LDS...

14 Aug. 1814–15 Jan. 1913. Born in Utica, Oneida Co., New York. Daughter of Calvin Field Bicknell and Chloe Seymour. Moved to Geneseo, Livingston Co., New York, 1817; to Livonia, Livingston Co., by 1830; and back to Geneseo, by 1834. Baptized into LDS church...

regarding the
Hawn’s Mill massacre.
Consequently, though in many respects Rigdon’s document from a historical
perspective is more advocacy than history, it offers access to some important
material not readily found elsewhere.

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

,
An Appeal to the American People: Being an Account of the
Persecutions of the Church of Latter Day Saints; and of the Barbarities
Inflicted on Them by the Inhabitants of the State of Missouri, second
edition; i-vi,
7–60 pp.; Cincinnati, OH: Shepard and Stearns, 1840. The copy used herein is
held at CHL.